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What message did Pope John Paul II emphasize at his installation Mass in 1978?
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St. John Paul II
Pope John Paul II waving to pilgrims, September 10, 1989.
At his installation Mass on October 22, 1978, Pope John Paul II emphasized a message of courage by repeatedly using the refrain "Be not afraid!"1
This biblical phrase, which announces the presence of God and Jesus Christ, served as a call for Christian courage. The message also presaged the bold, nonviolent human rights campaigns that would become a hallmark of his pontificate.1